Method of and apparatus for continuously folding strip material



. g- 1942- F. MARTINDELL ET AL 2,292,340

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSL Y FOLDING STRIPMATERIAL Filed March 10, 1939 4 s ee s sheet 1 19 F. MARTINDELL EIAL 2,292,840

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY FOLDING STRIP MATERIAL I Filed March 10, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll/Vf/VTORS E MART/#0514 56 aw I/mR/u Arm/MY Aug. 11, 1942. F. MARTINDELL. EI'AL 2,292,840

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY FOLDING STRIP MATERIAL Filed March 10; 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet s a 06.3 33 53 k4" lr1 //l l 3 48 I I 4; I

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Aug. 11, 1942. F. MARTINDELL ETAL 2,292,840

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONTiNUOUSLY FOLDING STRIP MATERIAL Filed March 10f 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 i /[3am Patented Aug. 11, 1942 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS on CON- TINUOUSLY FOLDING STRIP MATERIAL Frank Martindell, Western Springs, and Charles W. Verrill, Maywood, Ill., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 10, 1939, Serial No. 260,942

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for continuously folding strip material, and more particularly to an apparatus for folding and working continuous lengths of non-fibrous insulating material, from which insulators of the type disolosed in Patent No. 2,216,464 to C. W. Verrill'of October '1, 1940, may be severed.

An object of the present invention is to prov-ide an eflicient and practical apparatus for continuously folding and Working continuous lengths of strip material.

An apparatus embodying features of the invention for forming the above-referredto type of insulators, comprises continuously operated means for withdrawing a strip; of cellulose acetate material from a supply roll, means effective during the movement of the strip for forming, in opposite edge portions thereof, continuous N- shaped folds, for forming a line of perforations in two layers of material of each fold, for applying colored acetone, or any suitable solvent for the cellulose acetate material to each line of perforations to coalesce the layers of the folds and provide a colored line therealong, for pressing the folds to flatten them and spread the acetone, for laterally serrating the opposite edge portions outside the folds, for longitudinally cutting the folded and worked strip in half, for guiding the two strips laterally toward each other to cause an overlapping of the cut edges thereof, and finally simultaneously coiling the two overlapped strips together.

- Other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side View of an apparatus embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are greatly enlarged fragmentary vertical detail sections taken on the lines 4-4, 5-5 and '6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. '7" is a plan section taken on the line '|-1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section partly in elevation of the left hand end of the apparatus as viewed in Fig. 1;

Fig. '9 is an enlarged fragmentary plan detail section taken on the line 9+9 'of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged plan view of the folded and worked strip before being longitudinally cut in half;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of Fig. 1 showing the means for guiding the two folded and worked insulator strips laterally toward each other to cause an overlapping of their cut edges while being coiled together;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective View of the two folded and worked overlapped insulator strips while being coiled together, the thickness of the material being exaggerated to clearly show the folds therein and relative position of the strips;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the solvent applying device shown at the right side of Fig. 8, and

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line M-M of Fig. 13.

Referring particularly to. Fig. 1, the numeral l5 indicates a base having a standard l6 carrying a spindle I! for supporting a coiled supply l8 of strip. cellulose acetate material and a power driven spindle IQ for coiling up the two folded and worked strips initially drawn from the supply l8 in the form of a single strip.

It is to be understood that a suitable slip clutch (not shown) is arranged between the constant speed spindle l9 and a core 2!] upon which the folded and worked strips are coiled, whereby the tension on the strips will remain substantially uniform as the coiled strip material increases in diameter. Also that a suitable braking means (not shown) is associated with the strip supply 18 to maintain the desired tension on the strip during its withdrawal from the supply. The slip clutch and braking means have not been illustrated and described in detail since they form no part of this invention and are notbelieved necessary to a full understanding thereof.

At the left end of the base I5 is a pair of cooperating rolls 22 and 23 carried'by spindles 24 and 25, respectively, the spindles being journaled in spaced plates 25 fixed to the base l5. Each of the spindles l9 and 24 at their rear ends, as viewed in Fig. 1, has fixed thereto a sprocket wheel 29, the sprocket wheels being similar and driven by a sprocket chain 30 which in turn is driven from a sprocket wheel 3| fixed to a drive shaft 32 carried in a fixed bearing depending from the lower face of the base IS. The drive shaft 32 receives motion from a motor and associated speed reducing mechanism (not shown) whereby the spindles 24 and I9 are driven at a desired similar speed.

The roll 22 in cooperation with the roll 23 serves to draw the strip material from the supply I8, thence through a forming, fo d ng and working mechanism indicated generally at 33 and past a solvent applying device indicated generally at 36, which mechanism and device will be referred to later. For the purpose of providing the necessary traction between the rolls 22 and 23, and a resilient pressure upon the folded strip as it advances between the rolls, the roll 23, which is freely rotatable upon its spindle 25, is

fitted with a peripheral facing of rubber indicated at 31 (Fig. 8). To facilitate the threading of the strip material |8 between the rolls 22 and 23, in setting up the apparatus, the spindle 25, carrying the roll 23, is formed with eccentric portions 38 at opposite ends which are journaled in the plates 26, the forward eccentric portion of the spindle, as viewed in Fig. 1, being equipped with a handle 39 so that by rotating the handle the roll 23 and spindle 25 may be lowered or raised relative to the roll 22 to provide a suitable space therebetween for freely threading the material between the rolls and also to vary the resilient pressure upon the strip material during its advance by the rolls. During operation of the apparatus the spindle 25 is stationary and the roll 23 rotates thereon.

The strip forming, folding and working mechanism 33, referring to Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, comprises a pair of spaced plates 4|] provided with shouldered portions 43 (Fig. 2') at their upper ends between which is supported an H-shaped frame 44. To prevent the frame 44 from-shifting in a horizontal direction and at the same time permitting it to be readily placed in a predetermined position or freely removed therefrom, the frame intermediate its ends carries a pair of pins 45 which slide fit in notches 46 formed in the plates 46. Freely journaled in opposite ends of the frame 44- are rolls 41 and 48 which peripherally engage, as indicated at 49,.cooperating rolls and 52, respectively. Intermediate the surfaces 49 of the rolls a suitable clearance space is provided for receiving the strip l8. Thus, during the forming, folding and working of the advancing strip l8 the sets of rolls 41 and 5| and 48 and 52 are caused to rotate by the advancement of the strip l8. The rolls 5| and 52 are freely journaled in the plates 4|] below the rolls 41 and 48 and in vertical alignment therewith. Formed in the rolls 41 and 5| are cooperating pairs of aligned annular square cornered channels and shoulders 53 and 54, respectively, which serve to form the strip l8 adjacent each of its opposite longitudina1 edges, as it is drawn between the freely journaled rolls, with a vertical portion 55 terminating in a horizontal edge portion 56, as shown in Fig. 4.

Immediately upon moving from between the rolls 41 and 5| the formed strip I8 is advanced through a folding device 68 carried between the plates 48 intermediate the sets of rolls 41 and 5| and 48 and 52, which is effective to progressively turn the opposite vertical and horizontal edge portions 55 and 56 about the points 6| and 62, respectively, into the shape shown in Fig. 5, thus providing at this point in the advance of the strip l8 an open N-shaped fold 63 comprising three layers of material along each longitudinal edge portion 56 of the strip, the latter comprising a single thickness of material outside the adjacent fold 63.

The folding device 68 comprises a bridge plate 64 (Figs. 3 and 5) which is fixed to the plates 48.

- Attached to the upper surface of the plate 64 are spaced folder plates 61 (Fig. 5) which are undercut along their inner opposed edges to provide channels, as indicated at 68. Supported upon opposite horizontal surfaces of the shouldered portions 43 of the plates 40 is a bridge plate 69 to the under surface of which is attached a folder plate 10, with which the advancing strip l8 first makes contact after leaving the rolls 41 and 5|. Opposite sides of the plate 10 are formed with tongues 1|, which freely extend into the channels 68 of the folder plates 61. The dimensions of the tongues 1| and the channels 68 and the space between the opposed upper and lower surfaces of the bridge plate 64 and plate 18 and the arrangement thereof are such that a suitable space is provided to snugly receive the strip IS with the portions 55 and 56 formed thereon. Opposite ends of the folder plate 10 intermediate the tongues 1| are tapered, as indicated at 14 (Figs. 3 and 1), to permit them to extend in close proximity to the peripheral surfaces of the rolls 41 and 5| and 48 and 52 and the forward ends of the folder plates 61 and 10 are rounded, as indicated at 15, to freely permit the advancing strip l8 to enter the space between the plates and in the continued advance of the strip to progressively assume the shape shown in Fig. 5. The space between the lower surface of the bridge plate 69 and the upper surfaces of the folder plates 61 gradually diminishes from right to left, as viewed in Fig. 3, which serves to turn the edge portions-56 downward, as the strip is advanced, until when they leave the forming device 60 they are substantially horizontally disposed.

The bridge plate 69 with the attached folder plate 10 is held in a predetermined position between the sets of rolls 41 and 5| and 48 and 52 by means of a pin 16 freely carried in an aperture in the H-shaped frame 44 with its lower end entered in a slot 11 in the bridge plate, the slot extending parallel to the length of the plate. The plate 69, which rests on the opposite shouldered portions 43 of the plates 46, is slightly less in length than the distance between the vertical surfaces of the shouldered plate portions 43 (Fig. 7). Thus the arrangement permits the folder plate 18 to shift slightly back and forth between the plates 40 to adjust itself while the strip is being folded.

Upon leaving the folding device 60 the folded strip I8 is drawn between the cooperating rolls 48 and 52, the strip entering a space 88 provided between the peripherally engaged surfaces 49 of the rolls. The roll 48 includes a pair of disks 6| formed with spaced peripheral perforating blades 82 (Figs. 3 and 6) which are alined with the longitudinal center line of the folds 63 of the strip and as the strip is advanced between the rolls a line of perforations 83 (Figs. '1 and 10) is formed in the two upper layers of the material of each fold, as best shown in Fig. 6, the folds 63 at this point in their advance being pressed flat. In order to insure that the blades 82 will penetrate the two layers of material the H-sha-ped frame 44, which carries the rolls 48 and 41 which peripherally engage the rolls 52 and. 5| at 49, is positively held in a fixed position at its left end (Fig. 3) by a pair of screws 84 extending through the frame and threaded into the plates 40.

In the continued advance of the strip l8 after being provided with the perforated folds 63, it is drawn past the colored acetone applying device 36 (Figs. 1, l3 and 14), by means of the rolls 22 and 23, during which, in the present embodiment, colored acetone, or other suitable solvent, is applied to the two lines of perforations 83 in the two upper layers of cellulose acetate material of be integral with the standard '88.

the folds 63, which actually coalesces the adjacent layers of material.

The-device- 36 comprises a standard 88-disposed at the rear of the strip, as viewed in Figs. land 3, and carried on'the base 15. Supportedupon the upper end'of a forwardly extending horizontalarm 89 (Fig. 13) of'the standard 88 is a main container 99 (Figs. 1, 13 and "14) for a" supply of colored acetone.

an aperture in the arm 89 and into anopentriangular shaped container 92 to which is'attac'hed a forwardly extending conduit 93 having its'for- The container 90 at its lower I end carries a feed tube 9| which extends through ward end attached to and communi'cating'fwith into the feed tube 9'I,'a valve rod 98'is threaded into the container 90 at its upper end (Figs. 1,

13 and 14) the lower end Of theme beingcone shaped and entered in the upper end of the 'feed tube. Thus by raising and lowerin the rod' 98 the flow of acetone into the tube 9| may be regulated. At its lower end the tube 9|, which extends into the container 92, is cut at an angle as indicated at I94 and the normal level of the acetone in the container is shown at M5. The block 96 has mounted therein a pair of hollow acetone applying tips I96 which communicate with a chamber ID! in the block 96, the tips each including a wire nib I06 having an enlargement at its upper end which is frictionally held in the tip. The tips I96 are arranged in the block 96 so that they are alined with the lines of perforations 83 of the folds 63 and during the operation of the apparatus are arranged at the angle shown relative to the advancing strip I8 so that a small amount of colored acetone is applied continuously along the lines of perforations 83, the acetone seeping along the wire nib which fits the tip with a suitable clearance. During the threading of the strip I 8 through the apparatus in preparing it for operation the tips I06, the block 96 and container 92 which are supported on the pivotal conduit 93 may be rotated clockwise with the conduit to space the tips I06 above the path of the strip. The strip I8 during its advance under the tips I66 is supported on a table member I98 fixed to the standard 88, the table carrying a guide and presser plate I 09 effective to prevent the strip from appreciably shifting laterally and to hold the strip against the table while the acetone is being applied to the perforations 83 by the nibs I06.

After the colored acetone is applied along the line of perforations 83 of the folds 63 the folded strip I8 passes between the drawing rolls 22 and 23 during which the folds 63 are further pressed and flattened and the colored acetone, which has seeped between the layers of the folded cellulose acetate material, is spread between and coalesces the layers and provides a colored line therealong. Journaled in a bearing block Ill] fixed to the plates 26 (Fig. 8) is a spindle III to which is fixed a roll II2 between which and the roll 22 the folded strip passes after being pressed between the latter roll and the roll 23. The roll II2 has formed upon its periphery at opposite ends a plurality of cutting teeth II3 arranged to laterally serrate the opposite edge portions 56 of the strip, as indicated at H4 (Fig.

l0), the serrations extending fromthe outer edgesof the folds 6'3-to thesouter edges of-the strip; The relation between the cutting edges of the teeth H3 andthe peripheral surface of 'the roll 22 is such'that in -s'errating the edge portions56'of the'strip -I*8theteeth do not engage the surface of the roll. The spindle III of theser'ratin'g 'roll 'II2'carries a gear H5 which meshes with 'a gear I I 6 fixed tothe spindle of the power driven drawing roll 22, the arrangement beingsuch thatthe peripheral speeds of the strip I8 is longitudinally cut'in half along the line indicated at I19 (Fig. 10), as it moves into engagement with and-past the blade. The two similar folded strips [8 are then coiled together on the core 20 driven by thespindle I9 with their cut edges overlapping. To effect an overlapping of-the advancing strips, the strips are overlapped and-guided over a suitably journaled idler pulley I20 formed with a, double frustum-cone shaped periphery I2l which, as the strips pass thereover, are maintained in overlapping relation and thus guided to and simultaneously coiled together on the driven core 20. In advance of the engagement of the strips I8 with the pulley I26 the strips are supported on a wire support I 22.

The mode of operation of the apparatus is believed to be sufi'iciently set forth and to be clearly understood from the above detailed description without further description.

While the apparatus of this invention has been illustrated and described in connection with the manufacture of a particular article, it will be understood that the invention is capable of application to other types of articles and further is not to be limited to the specific embodiment herein illustrated and described, but is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: p

1. In an apparatus for continuously forming sheet material to be cut into relatively short lengths to provide insulators for spool wound coils, a pair of feed rolls for moving the sheet of material, means for forming folds in the sheet spaced inwardly from opposite edge portions thereof comprising a pair of peripherally intermeshing bending rolls between which the sheet is drawn by the feed rolls for partially folding the material, nd folder plates for completing the folds in the material, said plates having cooperating spaced tongues between which the partially folded sheet of material is drawn for completing the folds therein.

2. In an apparatus for continuously forming sheet material to be cut into relatively short lengths to provide insulators for spool wound coils, a pair of feed rolls for moving the sheet of material, means for forming N-shaped folds longitudinally in the sheet spaced inwardly from opposite edge portions thereof comprising a pair of intermeshing bending rolls between which the sheet is drawn by the feed rolls for partially folding the material, and folder plates for completing the folds in the material, said plates having spaced overlappin es e ween which the partially folded sheet of material is drawn for completing the folds therein.

3. In an apparatus for continuously forming sheet material, means for continuously moving the sheet material, means for forming folds in the sheet spaced inwardly from opposite edge portions thereof comprising a pair of intermeshing bending rolls between which the sheet is moved for partially folding the material, said bending rolls each having a central peripheral portion, the central portion of one of said rolls terminating adjacent each end in an annular channel providing peripheral portions of smaller diameter than said central portion, the central portion of said other roll terminating adjacent each end in a peripheral portion of larger diameter than its central portion and intermeshing in said annular channels whereby the edge portions of the sheet are displaced from and parallel with the plane of that portion of the sheet extending between said central peripheral portions of the rolls and interconnected by portions of the sheet extending angularly therebetween, and folder plates for completing the folds in the material.

4. In an apparatus for continuously forming sheet material to be cut into relatively short lengths to provide insulators for spool wound coils, a pair of feed rolls for moving the sheet of material, means for forming folds in the sheet spaced inwardly from opposite edge portions thereof comprising a pair of intermeshing bending rolls between which the sheet is drawn by the feed rolls for partially folding the material, said bending rolls each having a central peripheral portion, the central portion of one of said rolls terminating adjacent each end in an annular channel providing peripheral portions of smaller diameter than said central portion, the central portion of said other r011 terminating adjacent each end in a peripheral portion of larger diameter than its central portion and intermeshing in said annular channels whereby the edge portions of the sheet are displaced from and parallel with the plane of that portion of the sheet extending between said central peripheral portions of the rolls and interconnected by portions of the sheet extending angularly therebetween, and folder plates for completing the folds in the material,

said plates having cooperating spaced tongues between which the partially folded sheet of material is drawn for completing the folds therein.

FRANK MARTINDELL. CHARLES W. VERRILL. 

